The Secret of NIMH
The Secret of NIMH is a 1982 American animated fantasy adventure drama film directed by Don Bluth in his directorial debut. It is an adaptation of Robert C. O'Brien's 1971 children's novel Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. The film was produced by Aurora Pictures and released by United Artists, and features the voices of Elizabeth Hartman, Dom DeLuise, Arthur Malet, Derek Jacobi, Hermione Baddeley, John Carradine, Peter Strauss and Paul Shenar. The Mrs. Frisby name in the novel had to be changed to Mrs. Brisby during production due to trademark concerns with Frisbee discs. Released to wide critical acclaim, the film was a moderate commercial success. It was followed in 1998 by a direct-to-video sequel called The Secret of NIMH 2: Timmy to the Rescue, which was made without Bluth's involvement of input. A CGI/live action reboot is currently in the works. Plot Mrs. Brisby, a timid widow field mouse, lives in a cinder block with her children in a field on the Fitzgibbons' farm. She prepares to move her family out of the field as plowing time approaches, but her son Timothy has fallen ill. She visits Mr. Ages, another mouse and friend of her late husband, Jonathan, who diagnoses Timothy with pneumonia and provides her with medicine. Mr. Ages warns her that Timothy must stay inside for at least three weeks or he will die. On her way home she encounters Jeremy, a clumsy but friendly crow. They both narrowly escape from the Fitzgibbon's cat, Dragon. The next day, Mrs. Brisby discovers that Farmer Fitzgibbons has started plowing early. Although her neighbor Auntie Shrew helps her disable his tractor, Mrs. Brisby knows she must devise another plan. Jeremy takes her to visit the Great Owl, who tells her to visit a group of rats that live beneath a rose bush on the farm and asks for Nicodemus, their wise and mystical leader. Mrs. Brisby enters the rose bush and encounters a tough and aggressive guard rat named Brutus, who chases her away with a battle axe. She encounters Mr Ages (who now has his leg bandaged up), and is amazed to see the rats' use of electricity and other technology. She meets Nicodemus and Justin, the Captain of the Guard, and a ruthless, power-hungry rat named Jenner. From Nicodemus she learns that many years ago her husband, along with the rats and Mr. Ages, were part of a series of experiments at a place known as NIMH, the National Institute of Mental Health. The experiments boosted their intelligence, enabling them to escape, as well as extending their lifespans. However, they are unable to live only as rats, needing human technology to survive, which they have only accomplished by stealing. The rats have concocted The Plan, which is to leave the farm and live independently. Nicodemus gives Mrs. Brisby an amulet called The Stone, that gives magical power when its wearer is courageous. Because of her husband's relationship with the rats, they agree to help Mrs. Brisby move her home. First they need to drug Dragon to sleep, so that they can complete the move safely. Only Mrs. Brisby can do this, as only mice are small enough to fit through the hole leading into the house; Jonathan was killed by Dragon in a previous attempt, while Mr. Ages broke his leg in another. That night, she puts the drug into the cat's food dish, but the Fitzgibbons' son Billy catches her. While trapped in a birdcage, she overhears a telephone conversation between Farmer Fitzgibbons and NIMH and learns that the Institute intends to exterminate the rats the next day. She escapes from the cage and runs off to warn Justin and the others. The rats are moving the Brisby home, with the children inside, using a rope and pulley system during a thunderstorm. Jenner, who wishes for the rats to remain in the rose bush, sabotages the ropes with his reluctant accomplice Sullivan, causing the assembly to fly apart and kill Nicodemus. Mrs. Brisby arrives and tries to convince the rats that NIMH is coming and they must leave, but Jenner calls her a hysterical liar, attacks her, and attempts to take the amulet from her neck. Sullivan alerts Justin, who rushes to Mrs. Brisby's aid. After mortally wounding Sullivan, Jenner engages Justin in a sword fight, which ends in Justin stabbing him. Justin then addresses the other rats to prepare for their departure from the farm. Jenner recovers and advances on an unaware Justin, but the dying Sullivan hurls his own dagger into Jenner's back, killing him. The Brisby house begins to sink into the mud, but Justin and the rats are unable to raise it. Mrs. Brisby's will to save her children gives power to the amulet, which she uses to lift the house and move it to safety. The rats depart to Thorn Valley with Justin as their new leader, and Timothy begins to recover. Jeremy eventually meets Miss Right, another crow who is just as clumsy as he is, and the two fly away together. Cast * Elizabeth Hartman as Mrs. Brisby * Derek Jacobi as Nicodemus * Hermione Baddeley as Auntie Shrew * John Carradine as The Great Owl * Dom DeLuise as Jeremy the Crow * Arthur Malet as Mr. Ages * Peter Strauss as Justin * Paul Shenar as Jenner * Aldo Ray as Sullivan * Shannen Doherty as Teresa Brisby * Wil Wheaton as Martin Brisby * Ian Fried as Timothy Timmy Brisby * Jodi Hicks as Cynthia Brisby * Edie McClurg as Miss Right * Tom Hatten as Farmer Fitzgibbons * Lucille Bliss as Mrs. Beth Fitzgibbons * Joshua Lawrence as Billy Fitzgibbons * Charles Champlin, Dick Kleiner and Norbert Auerbach as The Council rats Songs * Flying Dreams Lullaby (performed by Sally Stevens) * Flying Dreams (performed by Paul Williams) International premieres * West Germany: July 15, 1982 * United States: July 16, 1982 * United Kingdom: July 22, 1982 * Ireland: July 30, 1982 * France: December 8, 1982 * Argentina: December 9, 1982 * Denmark: December 13, 1982 * Spain: December 16, 1982 * Netherlands: December 16, 1982 * Portugal: December 16, 1982 * Sweden: December 17, 1982 * Finland: December 25, 1982 * Australia: May 5, 1983 * Brazil: June 30, 1983 * Japan: July 25, 1986 * Hungary: April 28, 1988 International titles * Argentina, Mexico, Peru: La ratoncita valiente * Brazil: A Ratinha Valente * Bulgaria: ? * Canada & France: Brisby et le secret de NIMH * Denmark: Fru Brisbys hemmelige verden * Finland: NIMH - rouva Brisby ja hänen salainen maailmansa * Germany: Mrs. Brisby und das Geheimnis von NIMH * Greece: Oi peripeteies tis kyrias pontikinas * Hungary: A NIMH titka * Italy: Brisby e il segreto di Nimh * Japan: ニムの秘密 (Nimu no himitsu) (NIMH's secret) * Netherlands: Het Geheim van NIMH * Norway: Nimhs hemmelighet * Poland: Dzielna pani Brisby * Portugal: A Jóia Encantada * Serbia: Tajna DIDZ-a * Slovenia: Cudezni grm * Soviet Union: ? * Spain: Nimh: El mundo secreto de la senora Brisby * Sweden: Brisby och NIMHs hemlighet * Yugoslavia: Cudotvorni grm International dubs For information about international dubs, The Secret of NIMH/International. Category:1982 films Category:1980s American animated films Category:Films produced by Don Bluth Category:Films directed by Don Bluth Category:Films produced by Gary Goldman Category:Films produced by John Pomeroy Category:Film scores by Jerry Goldsmith Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer animated films Category:Half-Disney Feature Animation Category:Non-Disney animated films